Some trades just don’t happen overnight.
The newest season of HBO’s and NFL Films’ Hard Knocks is set to debut tonight, with the New York Giants front and center. Among the events documented from Big Blue’s 2024 offseason was the very beginning of trade talks on now-former Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Brian Burns, which was previewed in small clip starring general managers Joe Schoen and Dan Morgan from the Senior Bowl in February . . .
Trade talks happen when you least expect them#HardKnocks Offseason with the New York Giants premieres 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 at 9pm on Max. #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/4ghAnEkNng
— New York Giants (@Giants) July 2, 2024
Well, the Panthers never ended up getting any first-round picks in exchange for Burns. The two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher would, of course, be traded about five weeks later for a 2024 second-rounder (39th overall), a swap of 2024 fifth-rounders (No. 166 for No. 141) and a 2025 fifth-rounder.
Morgan commented on the timing of the deal during the NFL’s Annual League Meeting at the end of March.
“You know, those are always difficult conversations and, and decisions that you have to make from the seat that I’m in,” he said. “We love Brian. The player he is, the person he is, but sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions, and the salary cap along with draft capital that we got, we felt like it was, you know, time to pull the trigger and make a move.
“We felt like the timing was right. And yeah, those are always tough decisions, but we had to make it, and we feel OK about it.”
And while they didn’t get a first for Burns, Morgan and the Panthers did use that 39th selection rather nicely—as they sold it off to the Los Angeles Rams for Picks No. 52 and 155 as well as a 2025 second.
